Numerous types of wagering games have been developed in an attempt to provide players with new and varied gaming experiences. In addition to providing different wagering games with different primary games and various different types of bonus or secondary games, game systems may offer various types of payout schedules in different wagering games and may vary the payout volatility of the games. Progressive prizes represent another feature which may be offered in gaming systems to increase player interest. Progressive prizes are prizes which are based at least in part on wagering activity in the gaming system and thus vary over the course of play. In progressive gaming systems, some fraction of each wager in the gaming system is allocated to one or more progressive prize pools. These progressive prize pools are used to pay progressive prizes in response to progressive prize triggering events. One advantage of a progressive gaming system is that the progressive pools may be allowed to grow to very large values and thus provide players with an opportunity to win very large progressive prizes, prizes far in excess of prizes that may be defined in a fixed payout table.
There remains a need in the field of wagering games for systems and arrangements to enhance the player's gaming experience and encourage the player to continue play at a given gaming facility. In particular, there remains a need for progressive gaming systems which maintain player excitement and enhance the gaming experience while reducing the cost of administering the progressive game.